When we first moved to Compton in the mid 90′s, it was an accepted reality that most residents stayed away from the city parks. Parks were considered “dangerous” and “run by gangs”, and other than for some occasional summertime relief at the city pool, best to be avoided. I drove past Lueder’s Park almost [...]

“Operation Hangar Cleanup” was a wonderful day of celebrating history while looking toward the future. It was an event filled with history-makers themselves, as members from the Los Angeles chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, former Captain Fred Pitcher of Western Airlines, and record-setting young pilots were on hand to join the clean-up crews. These [...]

The Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum is a real source of pride for anyone who lives in Compton. Housed at the Woodley Airport since 2001, it is the home of several outstanding youth programs and the first non-profit flight school in the entire country! The youth programs offer kids from the community tutoring, mentoring, and a [...]

I’ve been working on a blog post about the Martin Luther King Day celebration we had at the Woodley Airport here in Compton. (What? You didn’t know there’s an airport here in Compton?! Well then there’s a lot of things you still need to learn about Compton. Cause this is not just any airport…but more [...]

I was standing outside in the rain at the annual Ortega Holiday Party, put on by Community Lawyers, Inc. and El Nido Family Centers. My head was cold and my jacket was damp. My feet were downright soggy. My heart, however, was full, because the smiles on the kids’ faces were pure sunshine! A special shout out [...]

In the midst of stormy weather, the neighbors on Peck Street gathered for a neighborhood Christmas dinner the weekend before Christmas. Two huge tents provided shelter, City Church of Compton provided the ham, and each individual family brought a side dish. Although the clouds cleared a bit in the morning before the event was to [...]